ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · mark · last · bowl · court · current · key · track

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. key — in music
  3. track — a path
  4. key — the most important part
  5. track — to keep track
  6. court — for sport
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mark — a grade
  9. track — a song
  10. last — finally
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. current — happening now
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. last — final
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. current — electric
  20. court — of law
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. court — of a king
  23. current — of water
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com